Drunk Driving Convictions Now Prohibited From Being Expunged

Each year, thousands of motorists are arrested in Indiana for driving under the influence of alcohol. What’s more disturbing, is that estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show roughly one-third of those who are taken into custody for drunk driving have a previous operating while intoxicated (OWI) offense on their record.

Many of these repeat drunk drivers have been able to avoid harsh punishments for their actions by having their prior convictions expunged or removed from their records. However, a new ruling by the Indiana Court of Appeals has put an end to the practice.

The court found that a previous ruling to expunge an Indiana man’s OWI conviction from his record was in violation of federal law requiring the state to report all drunk driving convictions to a national database. Failure to comply with the regulation could result in Indiana losing as much as $32 million in federal funding.

Indiana Public Media reports the threat of this loss was just one reason why the Judge ruled to overturn the Bureau of Motor Vehicle’s current policy of allowing OWI convictions to be expunged from a driver’s record.

At Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin, we believe in holding all drunk drivers accountable for their actions. That’s why our Terre Haute personal injury lawyers would like to applaud the courts for their actions to ensure a drunk driver’s history is transparent.